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DUBLIN -- Ireland striker Robbie Keane may miss a 2016 European Championship qualifier against Scotland on Saturday after two family members died after being overcome by toxic fumes in a sewer. Keane's cousin Alan Harris died on Wednesday and Alan's brother Stephen died on Friday. They were inspecting underground pipes on a housing estate in Portmarnock, north Dublin. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); With a heavy heart I write this. May Stephen rest in peace. Once again I would like to thank you all for your kind messages and the love and support you have shown my family. Posted by Robbie Keane on Friday, June 12, 2015
Keane, who plays for LA Galaxy and is Ireland's record scorer, trained on Friday but did not attend Ireland's pregame news conference in Dublin. Ireland manager Martin O'Neill said: "It was obviously very bad news this morning, so he's not feeling great, I must admit. Obviously he feels for the family and he is quite down at the moment. "I'm hoping that he'll come round, but if he feels he wants to participate in the game tomorrow, it will be entirely his decision. "I don't think you could ever question his professionalism, it's how he's feeling within himself, really, as much as anything else. "But as I say, it was obviously bad news this morning. He's not great." Defender John O'Shea, who stood in for Keane, expressed the players' support for the LA Galaxy frontman and his family. O'Shea said: "Ah look, it's one of those things. As the manager said, it's very sad news and I echo the sentiments of the manager. Our thoughts are with the family. "But look, there's obviously a good morale around him. We will look after Robbie, and if he needs whatever support, it will be there for him. "He's a very good professional, but obviously sometimes football does take a back step when something like that happens."
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